


It Was Always You

by alafaye



Series: Travels [10]
Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-10
Updated: 2014-12-10
Packaged: 2018-02-28 22:16:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2749133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alafaye/pseuds/alafaye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ianto's rereading some letters from a mysterious pen pal...</p>
            </blockquote>





	It Was Always You

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the 2014 advent challenge; masterlist and prompts can be found [here](http://alafaye.livejournal.com/392757.html). This is day 10, thankfulness.

"So I was thinking we could swing by Belleth Three," the Doctor said as he walked into Ianto's bedroom. "They have the most amazing light show. I mean, they've always been really clever with lights--natural and otherwise--but when they met humans and found out about Christmas, they just went crazy and it is really the thing to do, I think. What're you reading?"

Ianto smiled and folded up the well worn letter. He tucked it back into it's envelope. "Just...remembering some things is all."

"Love letters?" the Doctor asked.

Ianto took a deep breath. "After a fashion. It's...silly. When I was, oh, eighteen, I got this letter in the mail. A hand written letter. It just said, 'It gets better. It always gets better. It has to. Otherwise, what is the point?' It wasn't signed. I almost threw it out, but..."

The Doctor frowned and sat down on the bed. Ianto had put all the letters in a box and the Doctor tilted it toward him. "The rest?"

"I got a lot through the years," Ianto explained. "At random times. I sometimes replied to them, putting them in the mailbox and they were gone by the time the post came around. It was the oddest thing, but it was...I was thankful, you know? There was someone out there who was so far from where I was who was listening and writing back. And when I started working at Torchwood, well, I wasn't going to not tell my friend about it."

The Doctor sniffed. "This first letter? Did you get that one about a day after some idiot pulled you out of a sink hole that randomly appeared in the street?"

Ianto frowned. "Well, no, actually. I fell and hit--oh." He gasped as his memory came rushing back. Walking toward nowhere, getting out of the house; the ground had disappeared from beneath his feet and a man in a long scarf had pulled him up, telling him to mind his feet.

The Doctor nodded. "That's what I thought." He bounced up and left the room. Ianto frowned, but the Doctor returned moments later, clutching a ribbon wrapped stack of envelopes.

"That isn't--"

The Doctor grinned. "Oh, yeah. Ianto Jones, let me introduce myself. Your mysterious pen pal."

Ianto took the letters, recognizing the handwriting on the outside. "What're the odds?"

"An infinity to one?" the Doctor mused aloud. "I mean, really. How did those letters get to me, anyway? Can't have been anything localized--you moved, after all. And--"

Ianto smiled as he ended the kiss. "You've brought me..so much peace with these letters and then after, with Jack. And again and again. Always. I'm ever so thankful for you."

The Doctor cleared his throat and adjusted his tie. "Yes, well. I, well."

Ianto smirked. "Your letters got me through some of the worst of everything. Thank you."

The Doctor blushed and ducked his head. "That's one mystery solved at least."

Ianto snorted and bumped the Doctor's shoulder with his own. "So. Belleth Three and their light show?"

"Yes! A wonderful spectacular show..."

Ianto watched him go, his heart easing. As the Tardis lights danced around him in a rhythm he found to be akin to a smugness, he finally admitted that he had long ago known. Ever since he'd met the Doctor, he had known who his mysterious pen pal was. There really couldn't have been anyone else.


End file.
